5 Techniques for Using Affirmations to Enhance Your Relationship

Affirmations are powerful positive statements. You may be aware of them as a tool for self-improvement or to help you reach your goals. Did you know that affirmations can help improve your relationships with your partner, family, friends, and even your colleagues?

 

By choosing your words carefully and meaningfully, you can improve relationships in every area of your life. 

 

1. Show Empathy

 

You can use affirmations to show the other person that you see their feelings and acknowledge them. Affirmations can be used as a component of active listening. Listen to what they are saying, without interrupting, and when you do speak, you reflect back what they said to you. You acknowledge where they are and give them space to vent or celebrate or just get their message across. 

 

The key to showing empathy is to make sure you don’t contradict or negate their feelings. Don’t offer advice or give a contrary opinion. Just stand with them in their space. 

 

2. Be Authentic

 

Make sure your affirmations are coming from a place of sincerity. Don’t say things you don’t mean. Keep your affirming messages to the point and focused on the other person. 

 

Affirmations that are economical with the truth or speak out of character will undermine your relationship, not build it. Make sure you speak from the heart. And you don’t have to use flowery language, just be nice. 

 

3. Tell Your Loved Ones They’re Loved

 

Saying I love you early in a relationship is easy. But as time goes on, it’s easy to let endearments slide. Get into the habit of telling your partner, your children, your family, your friends how much you love them. Don’t take it for granted that they feel loved, make sure they know it!

 

4. Say Thank You

 

When was the last time you said thank you for a home-cooked meal? Or for proofreading your job application? Or even for taking the garbage out?

 

No act of kindness should go unacknowledged. Show your family and friends and colleagues that you appreciate what they do for you. Affirm their role in your life. 

 

5. Give Public Praise

 

Sometimes the best affirmations come in the form of public acknowledgment. Give credit where it’s due to your team members, your partner, and your kids. Show them you're grateful and proud of them. Make it a point to acknowledge the extra effort and exceptional achievements.

 

Building Your Child’s Self-Esteem

As parents, we’re always looking for ways to make our kids happier, healthier, and more successful. Yet, few of us know exactly how to do that.

 

Beyond showering them with compliments and positive affirmations all day long, we’re pretty lost.

 

According to experts, what we should be doing instead is teaching them how to be more resilient, feel confident about themselves, and build up their self-esteem.

 

Because we know how much you want the best for your kids, we rounded up five of the most effective ways to build your child’s self-esteem.

 

Let’s get started.

 

Give Your Child Responsibilities

 

Studies show that children who take on age-appropriate responsibilities from an early age grow into highly successful adults.

 

Another thing you can do is give them choices. When children feel like they have options, it makes them feel validated, like their opinion matters.

 

For young children, you can give them a few simple chores around the house. Then, give them the chance to choose between pancakes or waffles.

 

As they grow, their range of responsibilities and choices should grow with them. This will help prepare them for the more challenging choices they’ll face later on in life.

 

So, they may whine and complain at first. But they’ll definitely thank you later.

 

Create Opportunities for Growth

 

We all want our kids to be successful at everything they try out. One way to do that is to pay attention to what your child enjoys doing. Then, help them set achievable goals in their scope of interest.

 

This opens up opportunities for your kids to try new activities and get that bubbly sense of pride when they learn something new. They may even make new friends and engage in social interactions outside of their class environment.

 

Remember that no matter what activities your child seeks out, they need to feel like they’re accepted by their parents. This means that if you want them to be a star athlete and they love painting instead, you still have to show your support and avoid focusing on weaknesses or shortcomings.

 

Get Your Child to See the Bright Side of Failures

 

You probably feel your heart burst with joy whenever your child accomplishes something or masters a new skill. Yet, you have to face the fact that they’re bound to mess up and make mistakes.

 

Your child has to get the message that you’re not seeking perfection. But you put more value on effort and progress, even if it means failing because while failing is never pleasant, it’s still a crucial part of growing up.

 

Plus, if managed properly, failure can be an opportunity to learn something new and stay humble. It also helps them maintain the courage needed to try again, which is always difficult to do even as adults.

 

However, our role as parents is to show our children that we love and accept them no matter what. It also teaches them to have a good attitude even during difficult times, and that it’s important to stay persistent and persevere.

 

Praise from Your Heart

 

You may be praising your child 24/7, but is it really heartfelt? Kids are intuitive when it comes to this sort of thing. They’ll know right away if you mean it or if you’re just going through the motions.

 

So, the next time you praise your child, make sure it’s heartfelt. For example, try saying something specific.

 

Look them in the eye and describe exactly why you feel this way or what particular part of their drawing caught your attention.

 

It may be a very small part of your day that you probably won’t remember a couple of hours later but to your child, it’s an affirmation that they’re loved unconditionally.

 

Avoid Sarcasm

 

It’s easy to let the stress of our jobs and responsibilities get the best of us. Then, we get frustrated and say things we don’t mean.

 

Though, we have to rein in our frustrations and remember that kids take everything to heart. So, even if you’re saying something sarcastic as a joke, all they’re going to pick up on is your tone and your choice of language.

 

Always keep in mind that your child is always seeking your approval, even if they pretend not to care. They want you to notice them and be proud of them.

 

At the same time, we can be too critical of our kids: they’re lazy, they misbehave, and they talk back. But saying these harsh, sarcastic things to your kid won’t motivate them and will only make things worse. So, the next time you get frustrated with your child, take a few minutes to cool off before blurting out something hurtful.

 

Not only will you end up regretting it, but over time, your kid will start to develop a negative view of themselves. This has a direct impact on their emotional and psychological health, which undermines their self-esteem.

Keep Your Mind Sharp as You Age

As you age, you may start to feel like your brain is aging right along with your body. This is especially true if you find yourself constantly forgetting things. There are several ways you can keep your mind sharp as you age, so keep reading to find out how to keep your brain sharp for years to come. 

 

Don’t Stop Learning

 

A big mistake that people make as they start to age is that they think they don't have to learn anymore. This is never the case. Learning helps to keep the brain fresh, young and building new pathways. If you want to keep your mind sharp, you should try to learn something new every day. The best and easiest way to do this is by downloading a word of the day or language learning app you actively engage with every morning. 

 

Play Brain Teasers

 

You've probably seen a commercial or two about how brain teasers can help keep your mind from aging, and the people who created these games might just know what they are talking about. According to Psychology Today, working your mind every day helps keep it active and keep yourself from forgetting things. So take the time to find a brain teaser game that you enjoy, and aim to spend an hour on it every day. You may just be surprised at the results. 

 

Don't Be Afraid To Use Organization Tools

 

A Harvard Health article points out that people grow more forgetful as they age but refuse to use the tools provided to keep them organized. You probably have a more complex life with more people in it now than you had a decade ago. It's only reasonable that there's no shame in using a planner (or app) to keep track of all the birthdays and important days you need to remember. Take the time to get organized around your house as well. This way, you will waste less time worrying about things that ultimately don't matter (like where your keys are.) This organization allows you to direct your brain power where it counts!

 

If you want to keep your mind sharp as you age, then make it a point never to stop learning. You could also consider working brain teasers into your everyday life. And if you need to use some tools along the way, don't be ashamed. That's what they are there for—to help keep your mind working at its best!

 

How Learning New Things Helps Our Brain

Learning something new isn't easy and facing challenges regularly can really take a lot of your energy. However, learning new things is good because it benefits your brain. Keep reading to learn more about how learning new things help your brain. 

 

Learning Programs the Brain

 

First and foremost, according to Psychology Today, learning is actually the way that your brain gets its programming. Think of it this way, when your computer needs an update, you download new software. This download is the same as learning something new. When you learn new things, your brain updates itself, clears out bugs and becomes better than before. So why wouldn't you want a brain running on the latest program? 

 

Keeps Dementia Away

 

Another major thing that learning accomplishes is it keeps your brain running in tip-top shape. When your brain is in tip-top shape, this means, according to Healthline, that you are less likely to suffer from conditions like Alzheimer's and dementia. Like any muscle in your body, the brain needs to be worked out regularly, and if it isn't worked out, it will begin to atrophy. Don't let your brain atrophy, and commit to learning new things every day!

 

You’ll Be Able to Adjust to Change Better

 

Change is a hard part of life, but it is something that everyone must learn to deal with at some point or another. The more you learn new things, the easier it will be to accept change. This is because learning helps you become familiar with unfamiliar subjects and get used to stepping outside of your comfort zone. If you are one of those people who struggle with change, you should probably start by learning something new!

 

You’ll Learn Faster

 

The coolest thing about your brain is that the more frequently you learn new things, the fasted your brain begins to learn! This means that learning new things in your free time can help other aspects of your life. Say you take a pottery class on the weekends; chances are, it will become easier to learn new things you need to do your job. Who doesn't want to learn faster than they did before?

 

Overall, learning new things can be a challenge, but it is a necessary part of life. Learning new things helps program your brain and keeps dementia away as you age. It makes it easier for you to accept change, and you'll begin to learn even faster, which will benefit all aspects of your life. So embrace new things and start making it your goal to learn something every day!

 

Lifelong Learning Can Help Keep You Sharp

As you age, it's time to start thinking about how you can keep your brain sharp. One of the best ways you can keep your mind fresh is by committing to lifelong learning. 

 

You’ll Enhance Your Brain

 

Just like any other muscle in your body, your brain is a muscle that needs frequent use to stay sharp. You can do this with lifelong learning, which means you aim to learn something new each day. One of the best ways to do this is enrolling in a class you've always wanted to take or studying a new language and practicing each day.

 

You Won’t Be Bored

 

One of the main reasons your brain loses its sharpness is boredom. When you walk a path of lifelong learning, this fights boredom and keeps your mind sharp. And the best part is, you won't have to deal with feelings of boredom which could lead to other emotional issues down the line!

 

You Will Sleep Better

 

When you spend too much of your life inactive and bored, this can lead to issues sleeping. Instead, when you aim to maintain lifelong learning, this will help your mind to stay engaged during the day, then better disengage at night, which means you will sleep better as a result. And who doesn’t want to sleep better at night?

 

You Will Connect Better With Others

 

A major factor in aging is the importance of maintaining your social circle, as this can help keep you happy and healthy. This can be hard to do if you don't have common interests or things to discuss. Lifelong learning can help with this as it can help you connect with new people who share your interests and maintain old friendships you may have already created. Learning helps expand your mind to connect with others better, and it gives you more to talk about to keep them around!

 

Overall, no matter how you look at it, lifelong learning is an important part of keeping your mind sharp. This is because lifelong learning enhances your brain, keeps you from boredom, and helps you sleep better. Not only that, but it will help you to connect better with others, making it a winning situation for everyone involved. Therefore, it's time to take the leap and make lifelong learning part of your routine today!

 

We Often Learn Too Late That Priorities Are Important

What's the most important commodity in your life? It's time. You can never get back any time you wasted or spent inappropriately. A lot of us beat ourselves up when we think about all the time we've wasted in our past.

 

That's okay, as long as we've learned our lesson. It's a shame this isn't something that's taught early in life. Your parents might have told you as a child that you need to have a list of priorities. That probably didn't mean anything to you at the time. You were young and had your whole life ahead of you.

 

Then you blinked your eyes and winded up far removed from your childhood. You've got several decades behind you as an adult. You regret not having paid attention to priorities over the years.

 

You know that what you prioritize highly gets the most of your attention. This happens subconsciously and consciously. The person who prioritizes becoming wealthy above all other things is very likely to achieve that goal. His relationships may suffer, unless he places them high up on his list of priorities as well.

 

Have You Written down Your Priorities?

 

You don't have to do this with pen and paper. You can use your smartphone or your computer. That way you'll always have your list of priorities available. By the way, this should be something you review constantly. You're an entirely different person now than when you were younger. You're going to be a different person in a few years in so many ways.

 

This means you should constantly check your list of priorities and see if you've got them in the right order.

 

At the top of your list you want to jot down the things that are most important to you. When you first do this, don't worry about misspelling words or making complete sentences. You just want to get your thoughts down on paper. Prioritize the top 10 things in your life. These are your values. They are the things that are important to you.

 

When you're finished, rank them. Put your most important value or goal at the top. Look at the list. What do you think? What are you going to spend the most time on? 

 

Can you make a plan to spend more time and effort on priority number one than number five? That's what you should do, because your highest priority is the thing in life that is of the utmost importance to you.

 

Repeat the Process for the Next Few Days

 

Do the same thing again tomorrow. You want to do this because things may pop into your head that you didn't think about. You might think that won't happen with goals or values that are super important to you. Believe us when we say that it does. When you go through this exercise for three or four days in a row, you'll have a very clear picture of the things that are important in your life.

 

Then you can move forward with more focus and productivity. It's a shame this isn't taught to children. When it is taught, young people are so busy with so many things that they might forget the lesson. No matter where you are in life right now, take this to heart. Your actions create your reality and priorities can help you decide what receives the most action in your life.

 

Family Life: How to Simplify Family Communication

With all the technical advances today, it’d be easy to assume that family communication has gotten simpler. But families are receiving thousands of messages each day from electronic devices. 

 

Whether it’s the advertisements on your smartphone games, the Twitter chats you follow, or the Pinterest boards you scroll through, you’re being given an information overload. This overload can cause problems in communicating with the ones you love most.

 

Staying connected with your significant other or your children is important. Without communication, family members will eventually retreat into separate lives. To prevent this from happening and to keep your communication line open follow these tips.

 

Give your full attention.

 

If you’ve ever tried to communicate with someone that stared at their smartphone the entire time, then you know how frustrating this can be. It can feel like the other person is saying, “You’re not important to me.”

 

When your kids see you constantly connected to electronic devices, they may be less likely to open up to you and have serious conversations. That’s why it can be helpful to have technology free periods in your day. For example, if your child is a morning person, then consider having a no-technology rule at breakfast. This gives you and your kids time to connect when they’re at their best. 

 

Build a foundation of love and trust.

 

If your loved ones feel like they’re going to be judged, they’re not going to communicate with you. An essential ingredient to healthy family communication is kindness. When your child or significant other is talking, don’t rush to make a judgement. Instead, try to ask open-ended questions like ‘how did you feel when that happened’ or ‘what are you going to do about this situation’. 

 

Listen to body language.

 

When it comes to communication, few things are more helpful than body language. During conversations with your kids, take a moment to analyze their body language. Are their words defiant but their eyes are filled with fear? This extra bit of information can make a big difference in getting to the bottom of what’s bothering your loved one.

 

Discover what you want from your heart.

 

Understanding what you want and need from your relationships is an important part of communicating with loved ones. For example, it might be that you feel loved when someone performs an act of service for you or when someone offers words of affirmation.

 

When you know what your love language is, don’t be afraid to ask for it. You might say, “Mommy’s feeling sad. Can I have a hug?” 

 

Of course, your children can’t provide for all of your emotional needs. But when you express what you want, you’re sending the message to your kids that it’s OK to ask for support in the way that they need it.

 

Communication is a key part of any relationship. If you make a mistake in communicating with your kids, don’t be afraid to be humble and apologize. This keeps your communication lines strong.

 

Reflections And Intentions…

 

1. When a loved one is speaking, how do you communicate that you're listening? Do you nod along, put down your smartphone, etc.?

            

2. In what ways do you ask for support or comfort from your loved ones?

 

3. Does your family have technology free time periods? Why or why not?

 

Family Life: 5 Steps to Creating A Family Vision Board

A family vision board is a tool that can be a fun way to represent your goals as a family. With a vision board, your family can visualize what life will be like when you accomplish your goals. It can also give each member of the family a feeling of purpose while doing everyday tasks. 

 

It’s difficult for kids to understand that your family is saving money for a dream vacation when they’re eating leftovers or buying second hand clothing. This is because kids don’t always see the long-term payoff of short-term sacrifices. But when you have a family vision board, you can show your kids pictures of your dream vacation and encourage them to think about how much fun they’re going to have in a few months.

 

Ready to create your own family vision board? Here’s how to get started now…

 

Step #1: Gather your family.

 

It’s important that every member of your family contributes to the vision board. When your kids feel like they’re part of the process, they’re more likely to take ownership and work toward your family’s goals.

 

Step #2: Schedule it. 

 

You’ll want plan for time to work on your vision board. Even a small vision board can take several hours to complete. If you don’t have a lot of time for family activities, you can break up the creation phase into several small meetings.

 

It’s important that you make these meetings fun for your family. Consider having special drinks or snacks as you work on your board and encourage each family member to dream big.

 

Step #3: Decide on the format.

 

Now that you’re ready to get started, you’ll want to consider what format is going to work best for your family. Your family can create your vision board as a poster, a scrapbook or as a digital slideshow. If you’ll be creating a poster or scrapbook, you’ll want to gather plenty of supplies like scissors, tape, old magazines, and even paint.

 

For a digital vision board, you can create your board inside a program like Photoshop or GIMP. If you’re not skilled with graphic design, don’t worry. There are plenty of websites that allow you to create a vision board online. 

 

Step #4: Consider your family’s goals.

 

Now comes the fun part. Start talking with your family about your core values, people you’d like to meet, places you’d like to visit, and adventures you’d like to have. Where do you want to be as a family in five years? 

 

If you’re overwhelmed with ideas, it’s OK to divide your vison board into sections. You could create sections for academic goals, travel goals, or career goals. 

 

Step #5: Stay positive.

 

Creativity requires positive energy. If a family member says something negative, have them write that thought down then crumple the sheet and toss it into the trash. Explain that letting go of negativity is essential to dreaming big.

 

A family vision board can be a lot of fun to create. Let every family member contribute to it in some way. This will help you bond as a family and allow you to support each other’s goals. 

 

Reflections And Intentions…

 

1. Has your family created a vision board? If not, when can you schedule time so you can do this fun family activity?

            

2. What did you learn about your family members by creating a vision board together?

            

3. Looking at your vision board, how can you show support for each family member's goals?

 

Family Life: Stop Comparing And Decide What YOU Want

Kids have a tendency to compare their life to their friends’ lives. They might argue over who got more gifts for Christmas, who has better clothes, or who’s more popular at school. As a parent, you probably tell your child not to compare. 

 

It’s easy to tell your kids to stop this habit, but it’s not easy to model it. When other families in your neighborhood move to bigger homes in better neighborhoods, you might feel the pressure to do the same thing. 

 

When your friends travel more often and further away, you might feel that your family is lagging behind. Even simple things like your child’s birthday party can cause you to compare, so you spend time and money planning an elaborate party that’s better than their friends’ parties. 

 

Is Comparison Making Your Family Miserable?

 

Like your kids, you may feel the need to measure up and prove that you and your family are just as good as everyone else. But constantly trying to outdo everyone else can cause you and your family members to experience overwhelm, burnout, depression, and even panic attacks.

 

Maybe you recognize some of your own comparison habits or the habits of your children. The good news is that you can undo the damage with time and practice.

 

What Do Kids Really Want?

 

As a parent, you might be tempted to believe that what your child really wants is the latest gaming console, the best clothes, or the hottest electronics. But social experiments like Ikea: The Other Letter show that children prefer quality time with their parents to gifts and expensive luxury items. 

 

You don’t have to move your family to a remote cabin in the mountains in order to spend more quality time together. You can play board games, go on a hike, or build a fort in the living room. Even simple things like going to the grocery store together can be special if you and your child power off the electronics. By disconnecting with technology, you and your child will find it easier to connect with each other. 

 

How Can You Inspire Your Kids?

 

Another helpful way to end comparisons is to create a family vision board. This lets you and your kids define what you value most as individuals and as a family. You can use this board to guide you when making family decisions so that everyone feels heard.

 

You can also help your kids stop comparing their lives to their friends’ by getting them involved in events for those in need. When your child volunteers at a soup kitchen every Saturday, they gain perspective. They begin to understand that there are worse things than having leftovers twice a week. When you encourage your child to help others, you’re teaching them to develop an attitude of gratitude and creating a desire to serve others. 

When it comes to comparison, understand that it can take some time to change your family’s attitudes. Keep working at it and encourage your kids to hold you accountable, too.

 

Reflections And Intentions…

 

1. Who do you find yourself comparing your family to? In what ways do you compare?

            

2. When your kids start comparing themselves to their friends, what advice do you usually offer? Does this advice seem to help?

            

3. How can you get your kids involved in activities that help those in need?

What Language Do You Speak?

We live in a time of ever-increasing uncertainty and anxiety levels are on the increase. Adults and children alike are experiencing a sense of bewilderment as they try to balance the many things happening in their personal lives and in a world that is experiencing turmoil and disaster on unprecedented levels. 

 

In such a world, it is easy to slip into a language of negativity, yet it doesn’t need to be this way. We can learn to speak the language of optimism and help those around to learn it too. When you learn the language of optimism, you are learning to experience life by embracing and acknowledging the things that go right and shrugging your shoulders, and moving on from the things that go wrong. 

 

Teaching this essential skill to our children is extremely important for all parents, teachers and caregivers to understand and appreciate. As we practice recognizing our own achievements and acknowledging them in the home, we are role modeling to our children the importance of doing their best and then having the pleasure of others and ourselves showing appreciation for the things achieved. A pessimistic perspective however would look at the situation surrounding the achievements and focus attention on them, rather than on the people attaining them. 

 

When a child (or an adult) learns to speak with optimism, they are able to take failure and turn it into potential for growth. Instead of seeing failure pessimistically and dwelling in grief on the cause of the failure, the optimistic person can focus on the failure being a learning curve and will use the opportunity to turn this failure into an opportunity to learn new skills or to develop a new understanding of the way things work. 

 

The optimistic thinker is able to see the problem as a temporary setback, it doesn’t affect their self-worth or self-confidence and they keep trying until they achieve their goals. The pessimistic approach would see this problem as more of a permanent problem Over time, as all problems become “bad or big” , the person eventually begins to see them all in a pessimistic way, gradually losing all sense of self-esteem and self-worth. 

 

Children learn from their parents. They often mimic their parent’s behavior. As you teach your children to become successful and well educated, they will display optimism in their own lives. They will learn to see life from the perspective of self-worth and self-esteem and even if this is over exaggerated, it gives them the hidden courage to say" no" to peer pressure.

Resilience Starts at an Early Age

If you want to be resilient, make sure you start at an early age. If this didn’t happen for you for some reason, don’t worry. You can still help yourself to be more resilient. However, when you start as early as childhood, it becomes part of you to the point where it’s natural.

 

Even if you weren’t taught to be resilient early on, there is no reason why you can’t help your kids become so. The main lesson is to make sure they follow through on whatever they start. Perhaps they want to join a sports team. Don’t let them quit midseason because this sends a bad message not only to your kid, but to the team, coaches, and other parents. Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, require your kid to play the entire season. He or she does not have to take it up again the following year if that is what you want to allow.

 

Kids should follow a routine. When they get in the habit of doing similar activities the same time each day, they will be more likely to complete whatever they are doing. Allocate time for homework as well as play. But, lazy hours should be allowed as well which are different. It’s time that your children can do whatever they please, including playing video games. 

 

When your kids are a bit older, and their subjects are more challenging, encourage them to form study groups. Study groups are a great way to interact with others and to solve common problems together. It also will force the group to complete what they set out to do. They will be resilient when doing this.

 

Set aside time for exercise for you and your kids. You could take them on a hike, or you can play sports with them. It’s a great way to get involved as a family and get the needed exercise for both you and your kids. When people are in good shape, they will be more resilient at many tasks compared to people who are out-of-shape. This resilience includes mental activities as well.

 

Getting a start early in life is a great way for people to become resilient. They get used to following through to the point where it doesn’t make sense not to. It gives them more years to work with, more than if they start out later in life. Also, we know that habits started early in life tend to carry through to adulthood.